Rather, let’s talk about people — also called buskers — garbling road-trip metaphors at me and banging spoons against Mason jars as I walk to work each morning.

I love a nice jaunty street musician in the springtime — as an Asheville resident it’s like catnip to me, in fact. But the line is getting a little blurred this season, and I think the madness must end just shy of three dudes playing kazoos in a circle while a fourth drums a pasta strainer.

Let’s all work together on this one to preserve our collective musical dignity. Let’s also get to the greatest tune of all — your latest batch of burning questions, my smart-aleck responses and the real deal.

Question: What is the City of Asheville’s policy regarding smoking in public “parks?” Follow-up question: Why is smoking allowed at McCormick Field?

My answer: Because America. Duh.

Real answer: The policy is pretty simple: You can’t.

“It is unlawful to smoke in parks,” said Debbie Ivester, assistant director of the city parks department. That includes everything in the city’s long inventory of park spaces, from Splashville to the French Broad River Park to Asheville Municipal Golf Course.

McCormick Field is a different story, as the tenants have a lease agreement that allows smoking at their discretion.

“McCormick Field is leased to DeWine Seeds-Silver Dollar Baseball for operations of the Asheville Tourists, who is authorized within the terms of the lease agreement to designate smoking areas within the grounds of the McCormick Field facility,” Ivester said.

Smoking is not allowed in the seating areas at McCormick Field, but designated smoking areas have been set up on the concourse area.

The Smoke-Free Restaurants and Bars Law in North Carolina banned smoking in restaurants and bars about four years ago, leaving only a few exceptions, like cigar bars and private, nonprofit clubs with the option of allowing indoor smoking.

Question: I’m curious about this new “aSHEville” museum that seems imminent, but is also asking for funding to get it off the ground, as if it’s not. Who is behind it? Is it definitely happening or is it dependent on the fundraising effort, which seems pretty ambitious?

My answer: Let us all recall this is the city that dropped $350,000 on a “ historically appropriate” 70-foot retaining wall last year. Dreams really do come true.

The aSHEville Museum is “a place to journey through the lives and legacies, the accomplishments and challenges, the varied and collective experiences of women,” according to museum co-founders, Heidi Swann and Gems Ouziad, a local mother/daughter team behind the project.

The interactive multimedia gallery will feature 10-12 rotating exhibits, which will focus on topics like “Appalachian Women,” “100+ Years of Sexism in Advertising” and women inventors, among other women-centered themes. They started an Indiegogo account this month to raise $45,000 for the upstart. They’ve gotten about $1,400 of that so far.

The pair has already drawn out blueprints for the Wall Street space, formerly Overström Studio jewelers. The space is about 3,800 square feet and will include a seating area and gift shop.

Swann said the funding they’ve secured is from their personal savings, and they plan to open this summer regardless of the Indiegogo outcome. The project is an LLC, not a nonprofit, so contributions are not tax-deductible.

Question: I recently learned that roughly half the city employees in Asheville seem to not work on Fridays. What is the deal with this? Were there major budget cuts we just never heard about? Are they working weekends all of a sudden? Long days? Why?

My answer: May something unspeakable befall people who ask “why” to four-day work weeks.

Real answer: City spokesman Brian Postelle said some, but not all, city employees work four long days, but work hours have not necessarily been cut.

“Employees in both the city’s Public Works Department and Development Services Division work four 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday,” Postelle said. “This not only saves energy, fuel and related costs, but it also allows those offices and inspectors to operate during hours that may be more convenient for contractors and builders, making them available in the early mornings and evenings.”

Question: I have noticed that the NCDOT has started cutting part of the hill on Swanannoa River Road. Are they finally enlarging the road to four lanes?

My answer: Behold the most effective DOT Jedi mind trick of all: just add “finally” to projects that may or may not be happening.

Real answer: Buncombe County division maintenance engineer Mark Gibbs said there are no plans to expand the road to four lanes. The hill-cutting is part of a smaller project to create a left turn signal onto Azalea Road.

The bigger project is a makeover along Azalea and Gashes Creek roads to ease one stream bank at the City of Asheville's Recreation Park, relocating a section of the Swannanoa to have less impact during high-water events.

The city is partnering with the NCDOT for the installation of a new traffic signal and turn lane at the intersection of N.C. 81 and Azalea Road. Sidewalks, a bike path, road improvements and a one-way roadway facility down into the soccer complex are also in the works.

This is the opinion of Casey Blake. Email her at cblake@citizen-times.com or call 232-2922.